What makes the purring noise in a cat

And most surprisingly, purring frequencies have been shown to stimulate bone regeneration—yes, bone regeneration. Cats purr by using their larynx and diaphragm muscles, both as they inhale and as they exhale, although just how the central nervous system generates and controls those contractions isn't yet understood.

Early 19th century taxonomists thought cats could either purr or roar, and split the family Felidae along these lines—"purrers' subfamily Felinae and 'roarers' subfamily Pantherinae. Today, though, taxonomists believe most cats can purr, with a few probable though not certain pantherine exceptions: lion, leopard, jaguar, tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard. Cheetahs and cougars? Yeah, they purr. So, why do it?

If it's a form of communication, it's meant for those near and dear, since cats purr at a frequency and volume too low to travel far. Purring and many other low-frequency vocalizations in mammals often are associated with positive social situations : nursing, grooming, relaxing, being friendly. More likely, though, purring is simply soothing, or self-soothing, as cats may also purr in stressful situations.

Relief - Many cats purr when hurt or in pain. Purring is a way for a cat to soothe itself, just like a human child will suck their thumb to feel better. Healing — Experts believe that purring helps cats get better faster. The low frequency purrs cause vibrations within the body that can heal bones and wounds, build and repair tendons, ease breathing and decrease pain and swelling.

But why do they purr after a stressful event? A study published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America showed that domestic cats and some species of big cats, including pumas and cheetahs, could purr at frequencies optimal for pain relief and even bone repair. So how can you tell why your cat is purring? Your best chance of understanding them is to look at their body language and the context. Luigi purrs little, and Archie a lot. But in recent years more light has been shed on the purr.

In the early s we hypothesised that purring has other purposes besides this. Work by Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, Karen Overall, and others has led to a better understanding of the purpose of the purr. Cats will often purr on their own - it's believed it promotes bones and tissue growth Credit: Alamy.

Cats begin purring when they are a few days old, which helps their mothers locate them for feeding time. The more science has delved into the purr, the more it seems to have uncovered.

This is where we address seemingly simple questions… that have very interesting scientific answers. Let us know via Twitter or Facebook. We humans are naturally sensitive to the baby cry, so we respond also to the cry within the purr.